New Franke James Video: Give Harper the Call

Even as the Harper government works overtime to represent the oil industry (and humiliate Canadians) at climate talks in Durban, South Africa, the tireless and ridiculously optimistic Franke James tries again to make her point: that tying the Canadian economy - and the world's future - to dirty oil is “fuelish.”

I’m glad you enjoyed the humour. Changing Harper does sound funny at first because it seems impossible. However, if we can encourage Canadians to look at Harper and think, “What’s wrong with him that he doesn’t have any environmental conscience?” then Harper may decide it in his interests to go green.
We’re seeing this happen in the asbestos case where some CPC members are now seeing Harper is wrong for allowing a lethal substance to be sold in third world countries. God bless Rick Mercer ;-)

Franke

P.S. What would you do if you discovered you were blacklisted by your own government? Would you be quiet? Please visit my site so you can read the internal government emails yourself. This link has both the highlights, and the entire 165 pages of emails discussing my artshow: http://www.frankejames.com/debate/?p=8533

Don’t miss the statement from PEN Canada and the Writers’ Union of Canada, too.http://www.frankejames.com/debate/?p=8999

However I’m not sure that withdrawing funding is censoring or blacklisting. You are still free to do an exhibit anywhere you want, it just won’t be paid for by the government. I’m not sure that it would even qualify afterall it’s a political statement you are making.

I appreciate the opportunity to respond to your question. Here’s more background for you as to exactly why this is a case of censoring and blacklisting.

The Canadian government did more than simply withdraw support. Officials from the Canadian Embassy in Croatia warned Nektarina to cancel the show completely, saying “Don’t you know this lady speaks against the Canadian government?” Over the next two and half months the Canadian Government continued its behind-the-scenes interference by contacting the show’s sponsors and venues. On July 22, 2011, Nektarina released an official statement, “In the past few months we have encountered many difficulties in organizing the exhibitions, usually connected to interventions of the Canadian Government… at times we felt patronized and even intimidated”.

You can read the statement here:
http://www.nektarinanonprofit.com/2011/07/bully-in-playground.html

Nektarina is also quoted in news articles, including the Toronto Star.
http://www.thestar.com/iphone/news/canada/article/1031738–artist-sees-red-over-government-blacklisting

The withdrawal of funding is also significant because the Govt spokespeople denied flat out to the media that funding was ever “approved or withdrawn”. However, the ATIP documents (165 pages of internal govt emails) prove that they did not tell the truth. Funding was approved but then ordered to be withdrawn by Jeremy Wallace, the Deputy Director of Climate office at DFAIT. He refused to even offer no-cost moral support when Debra Price, a legal counsel at DFAIT said that my work was well-balanced, and that no money was involved.

I am very grateful for the support I’ve received from PEN Canada and the Writers’ Union – who both have long histories of protecting freedom of speech.

You did not answer my question from earlier – what would you do if you were faced with the same blacklisting situation?

In a lesser way I am faced with your situation. 1/2 of my comments on this blog are deleted simply by pointing out the fact that climate change has not panned out to be what it has been billed as. no statistically signifigant warming in 15 years with record c02 emissions, everyone can figure out that this issue is not nearly as severe as it has been made out to be.

Scientists from across the world have been censored and blacklisted for point many of the erroneous facts about climate change that we all now know to be true. Ie the lack of warming versus c02 emissions, mount kilomunjaro was unrelated to warming, the IPCC himalayan glaciers melt overestimation by hundreds of years.

What I would do is keep pluggin away but don’t feel entitled to any support from government. You don’t need the government to earn a living or to put on any show. If this is what you want to do, do it and find a way how.

Alternatively you could just sell out and start promoting the ethical oilsands. Afterall they are not that bad, they promote economic wealth in our country and hundreds of thousands of people rely on them to put food on the table.

Additionally I would not assume that Harper had anything to do with this. As someone involved in politics I can assure you that Harper merely sets policy the bureaucrats adminster.

Good luck, you probably have a future in this your art is not that bad.

And if the government of Prime Minister Harper and the Conservatives are “humiliating” us so much, why is it that Canadians keep re-electing them by wider and wider margins every time the Liberals and NDP have given us the chance?

It is shocking that the Government would behave this way. However, I have proof in the form of Access to Information documents obtained on Oct.31st. They show that the Government did not tell the truth to the media – news which has been reported by Postmedia’s Amy Chung in the Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, and other papers:

Most damaging, the Government interference also involved warning the show producer (who was buying my artwork outright) not to exhibit my artwork. (The $5000 in funding was for the NGO, not for me. It’s educational funding which the Govt is required to provide under the UNFCCC agreement.)

Please visit my site so you can read the internal government emails yourself. This link has both the highlights, and the entire 165 pages of emails discussing my artshow: http://www.frankejames.com/debate/?p=8533

Don’t miss the statement from PEN Canada and the Writers’ Union of Canada, too.

http://www.frankejames.com/debate/?p=8999

“The government of Canada has no right to determine what is an acceptable opinion for an individual citizen, on climate change or any matter of public interest,” said Charlie Foran, President of PEN Canada, “To do so is clearly not in the spirit of the Charter and the long history of freedom of expression in Canada.”

I have read over the material at your website. Even in your highlighted extracts of the e-mails (and I presume you selected the “juiciest” parts in attempt to bolster your story) I find no evidence whatsoever that you have in any way been “censored” or “blacklisted”.

The only thing you’ve got is a vague and rather preposterous allegation from a political advocacy group with an axe to grind (having failed to receive money from the government of Canada), that they were “bullied”. Neither you, nor they, present the slightest bit of evidence to back that up. Even then, on their website, they state that they went ahead with your exhibitions anyway, minus the endorsement of the government of Canada. So much for this hypothetical “bullying”.

And I can’t even imagine any possible sanctions a Canadian official could threaten them with? How is it even possible they could be “intimidated”?!

Certainly you are entitled to the right to free speech, and that has not been infringed in any way. What you are not entitled to, is to have taxpayers subsidize your soapbox on your private moral crusade. Nor are we obligated to automatically endorse your political views.

Irrespective of the merits of your art, it’s pretty clear you have a pre-existing antipathy toward our government. Pardon me if we neglect to lend you any moral support in undermining the government for which I voted, and which I support. However, you’re still free to peddle your papers under your own steam.

You haven’t been “banned”, “blacklisted”, “censored”, or any other loaded, grandiose term you want to use. You’re not Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, not matter how much you want to promote yourself as some sort of martyr.

The facts speak for themselves – the ATIP documents directly contradict what the Govt said to the media. They prove that the government was not telling telling the truth in the Toronto Star, when they said the funding was “never approved or withdrawn.”

The funding was approved:

http://www.frankejames.com/debate/?p=8533#approval

Then funding was withdrawn.

http://www.frankejames.com/debate/?p=8533#disapproval

Read the Edmonton Journal article written by Amy Chung:

Government officials killed funding for Canadian artist: documents‎

“But newly released documents obtained under access-to-information legislation show that Department of Foreign Affairs officials did initially earmark funding for James’ show, only to withdraw their support days later, citing, among their reasons, that it “would run counter to Canada’s interest.” (Also ran in Canada.com and the Vancouver Sun)

Add the ATIP documented proof of their deceit to the fact that the NGO who was organizing the show has publicly stated in the Toronto Star and other papers that she was told by the Cultural Officer at the Canadian Embassy not to show my work. That is blacklisting.

PEN Canada and the Writers’ Union of Canada’s statement:

http://www.frankejames.com/debate/?p=8999

“The government of Canada has no right to determine what is an acceptable opinion for an individual citizen, on climate change or any matter of public interest,” said Charlie Foran, President of PEN Canada, “To do so is clearly not in the spirit of the Charter and the long history of freedom of expression in Canada.”

In my opinion a government that even considers funding art is making a mistake. It creates an unfair landsape for the artists as some are funded and others aren’t and so it gets to flex it’s muscle in an area it just does not belong.

Funding for art should always be sourced from the private sector. Government is a big ugly monster that needs to get it’s nose out of most things.

“Under Article 6 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change — which was agreed in 1992 and entered into force in 1994 – nearly 200 governments agreed to promote actions to develop and implement “educational and public awareness programmes on climate change and its effects”.

They agreed to promote “public access to information about climate change and its effects.”

In terms of funding: You win some. You lose some…. What is very interesting is that the Government deceived the media by saying it was never offered, and never withdrawn. ATIP documents prove that their statements were false and misleading.

From your website: “GLB is able to give 5,000$ on our Advocacy Funds budget”

You specifically highlighted that. Where do you see the word “approved”?

I’m able to purchase a lottery ticket, and the lottery corporation is able to pay me $1,000,000. Although neither of those things have ever happened, can I still sue them for breach of contract? I’m certainly able to pay a lawyer.

Better yet, in that same paragraph, they ask your group to resubmit the request form. If the funding had been already approved, why would they do that?

If I apply for a mortgage at the bank, and they approve my application, they don’t turn around and require me to subsequently resubmit the application.

“Then funding was withdrawn.”

Not from what I can read. Again, as highlighted on your own website:

“We have advised him that MDC would not/not recommend funding for this project”

Do you see the word “withdrawn” anywhere in that sentence? And how can they “withraw” funding which was never approved in the first place?

“Add the ATIP documented proof of their deceit …”

You’re making some very loaded claims here. And proof of what, exactly? That they had funds available, but they just didn’t give them to you? You obviously are going to construe the content of those e-mails any way you please, but that doesn’t mean anyone else will.

“… to the fact that the NGO who was organizing the show has publicly stated in the Toronto Star and other papers that she was told by the Cultural Officer at the Canadian Embassy not to show my work.”

While it may be a “fact” that this NGO person complained to the Toronto Star, the claim that they were told by any Canadian Embassy staff not to show your art is a completely unsubstantiated allegation – made by someone feeling deprived of $5000 and with an axe to grind.

You are free to treat facts and allegations as being interchangeable. Don’t expect anyone else to, though.

“That is blacklisting.”

Nope. Sorry, it’s not. I realise that victimhood is seen as a kind of status symbol among those of a certain political persuasion, so, to quote Bill Shakespeare,

I must tell you friendly in your ear, —
Sell while you can; you are not for all markets.

Your reply is nonsensical. Why are you trying to deny that funding was approved? Are you a Conservative supporter who is embarrassed and ashamed by the Harper Government’s underhanded and dirty tricks?

The ATIP documents clearly show that the funding was approved and then withdrawn.

Just so we can let other DeSmogBlog readers see what you cannot (or will not) see here is the text of the key email which gave approval to Vlatka Ljubenko, the Cultural Officer at the Canadian Embassy in Croatia. There are more emails in the 165 pages of emails – as well as the original application – which show that the token $5000 funding out of a $400 million dollar climate fund from Canada was approved (this is part of the UNFCCC agreement which Canada has comitted to).

Peter Egyed in ROME was in touch with MDC about this proposed project. We have advised him that MDC would not/not recommend funding this project, XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss further with GLB the implications (including the comms aspect) of ZAGREB’s project going forward. Is it too late to pull it back?

Released under the terms of Access to Information Act by Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Canada

Note: Part of the second sentence in Jeremy Wallace’s email was redacted according to Section 15(1) of the Access to Information Act because the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade considers that its release could be “injurious” to matters of international affairs and defense for Canada.

The Climate Change office even refused no-cost moral support. Here is the letter from Debra Price asking for moral support:

http://www.frankejames.com/debate/?p=8533#moral_support

Here is the email with the refusal by Jeremy Wallace, the Deputy Director of Climate Change office at DFAIT:

Released under the terms of Access to Information Act by Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Canada

Let’s look now at news reports in Postmedia, and two Ottawa papers have said….

EDMONTONJOURNAL: AMYCHUNG

Government officials killed funding for Canadian artist: documents‎

“But newly released documents obtained under access-to-information legislation show that Department of Foreign Affairs officials did initially earmark funding for James’ show, only to withdraw their support days later, citing, among their reasons, that it “would run counter to Canada’s interest.” (Also ran in Canada.com and the Vancouver Sun)

Isn’t it ironic that the Climate Change office killed the funding? Just like they are killing the Kyoto agreement… Do you think the fact that government doesn’t want tar sands oil labelled “dirty” is behind their campaign to silence environmental voices?

Since you obviously haven’t bothered to read any of my responses above, there’s no point in me re-stating them. Too much ink has been wasted already.

Also, since you have now resorted to using cheap insults, I don’t see that there is anything to be accomplished by continuing to engage you in this matter, except to summarize:

You have not been banned, censored, blacklisted, oppressed, or had your right to free speech infringed in any way by the Government of Canada.

You are not automatically entitled to financial support for your private crusade from our government.

You are not automatically entitled to “moral support” (whatever that’s supposed to mean), or to have official assent of your personal opinions by the Government of Canada.

It seems you are someone unaccustomed to being told, “no”. Out of all this, and your subsequent reaction, you give the distinct impression of someone desperate to capitalize on your minor and entirely forgettable notoriety. Even a toddler, having been denied a lollipop, eventually stops throwing a tantrum.

Since you are having problems digesting my responses, I will re-state them for the DeSmogBlog readers who are not knee-jerk Conservative supporters.

And pardon me for insulting you by asking, “Are you a Conservative supporter who is embarrassed and ashamed by the Harper Government’s underhanded and dirty tricks?”

Yes, if I was in your shoes I’d find the Harper Government’s underhanded and dirty tricks deeply embarrassing – much better to deny they are happening right?

We expect more from our leaders. We don’t expect them to be badmouthing Canadian citizens, and refusing even to offer moral support. That is so UnCanadian!

The ATIP (Access to Information) documents (165 pages) I have prove that my right to free speech was in fact infringed by the Government of Canada. See the official statement by PEN Canada’s and The Writers’ Union of Canada which confirms that fact: http://www.frankejames.com/debate/?p=8999

The Government continued to interfere in my private business deal, even after financial funding was disapproved by Jeremy Wallace, Deputy Director of the Climate Change office at DFAIT. http://www.nektarinanonprofit.com/2011/07/bully-in-playground.html

Regarding personal opinions, here’s what Charlie Foran, President of PEN Canada says, “The government of Canada has no right to determine what is an acceptable opinion for an individual citizen, on climate change or any matter of public interest. To do so is clearly not in the spirit of the Charter and the long history of freedom of expression in Canada.” http://www.frankejames.com/debate/?p=8999

BTW, the funding was for education for climate change and it is required under the UNFCCC agreement. It is not typical arts funding.

So, let’s look at what happened after the token $5000 funding was withdrawn. (Again, that small amount of funding is only significant because the Govt denied the truth in the Toronto Star and in Postmedia articles in the Vancouver Sun). We tried to continue with the show – but the Canadian Embassy continued to interfere behind the scenes. They were NOT satisfied with simply withdrawing funding (which is their right as I have pointed out in other comments). The Harper Govt continued to do their best to kill the show. And they finally succeeded in early August.

Before I share with you (and DeSmogBlog readers) other examples of the larger pattern, I will summarize once again why the Govt did ban my art.

The Govt did BAN my art.

The Cultural officer from the Canadian Embassy warned the show producer (Nektarina Non Profit) not to exhibit my art saying, “Don’t you know this artist speaks against the Canadian Government?” The example given was the letter I wrote to Harper in 2008 asking for a pollution tax. The NGO is on record in the Toronto Star and other papers, and their site, saying that they were bullied by the Canadian Govt.

Why is the Canadian Govt interfering in my private business deal??

Is there a pattern here? Is the Harper Government actively blacklisting Canadians who have the gall to disagree with them? Read the articles below about the blacklisting, secret oil sands PR teams, and decide for yourself…

Environment Minister Peter Kent says oil sands opponents “treacherous” Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/16/us-oilsands-idUSTRE7AF2X220111116
“The right-of-center Conservative government was taken aback last week when the U.S. administration delayed approval of TransCanada Corp’s proposed Keystone XL pipeline… Much to Kent’s anger, two members of Parliament from the opposition New Democrats went to Washington this week to argue the pipeline should not go ahead until Canada has come up with a better plan to combat climate change.”

Diplomats should promote fossil fuels in response to criticism Financial Post
“Facing challenges about Canada’s environmental record from the foreign business community, Canadian diplomats were urged to continue touting fossil fuels in messages crafted by the Alberta government to “temper negative coverage” of the oil and gas industry, says a newly released internal government report.” http://business.financialpost.com/2011/10/27/diplomats-should-promote-fossil-fuels-in-response-to-criticism/

Harper Government Guts Environment Programmes
Canada’s Stephen Harper government is spending more than 60 billion dollars on new military jets and warships while slashing more than 200 million dollars in funding for research and monitoring of the environment.IPS, Stephen Leahy http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=105773

Scientist surfaces to praise ozone monitoring amidst federal review
Until now, the Conservative government, facing criticism about its decision to review resources in the monitoring network, has prevented [David] Tarasick from speaking publicly about the research. Mike De Souza, Postmedia http://www.canada.com/news/Scientist+surfaces+praise+ozone+monitoring+amidst+federal+review/5589034/story.html

VOICES-VOIXSITE: The facts: Silencing Canadian voices.
Unfortunately, in recent years, successive governments have not respected these democratic principles. Instead, Canadian organizations and individuals who disagree with the government have been attacked, muzzled, censored, marginalized, and bullied. Institutions for knowledge and research that shed critical light on the government’s actions have been abolished, sabotaged, undermined, and weakened. Voices-Voix http://voices-voix.ca/en/facts

Fear and loathing in Ottawa Linda Diebel, Toronto Star
“I should be able to speak my mind on political issues, but I’ve found members of the Conservative party seem to be more sensitive to criticism than other parties,” she says. “They make it very personal.” Heather MacIvor, University of Windsor http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/922225–fear-and-loathing-in-ottawa

Psst… Harper Wins CAJ secrecy award
“Harper’s white-knuckled death grip on public information makes this the easiest decision the cabal of judges has ever rendered,” said CAJ President Mary Agnes Welch. “He’s gone beyond merely gagging cabinet ministers and professional civil servants, stalling access to information requests and blackballing reporters who ask tough questions. He has built a pervasive government apparatus whose sole purpose is to strangle the flow of public information.” Canadian Assoc of Journalists http://www.caj.ca/?p=990

One Department/One Voice: Environment Canada’s shift in 2007 to “one department, one voice” which restricts access to scientists by the media. (See report below which states that the protocol has resulted in an 80% drop in Climate Change science coverage in the media.)

Troubling Evidence: The Harper Government’s Approach to Climate Science Research in Canada
This report documents a troubling catalogue of actions by the present federal government that undermine Canadian climate science research and its practitioners… Environment Canada has adopted a new media relations policy that makes it much more difficult for journalists to have direct access to government scientists. Climate Action Network
http://www.climateactionnetwork.ca/e/news/2010/release/index.php?WEBYEP_DI=18

Harper’s Humiliating Muzzle on Scientists: Canada is becoming a global joke as our world-class experts are prohibited from speaking. The scandal is growing at Environment Canada of how Canadian climate researchers are being “muzzled” by draconian policies of Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The Tyee http://thetyee.ca/Mediacheck/2010/03/25/HarpersMuzzle/

Unlikely? Well, thank goodness for Access to Information legislation (ATIP) because the documents I obtained on Oct.31st are proof that the Government did not tell the truth to the media – news which has been reported by Postmedia’s Amy Chung in the Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, and other papers:

Most damaging, the Government interference also involved warning the show producer (who was buying my artwork outright) not to exhibit my artwork. (The $5000 in funding was for the NGO, not for me.)

Please visit my site so you can read the internal government emails yourself. This link has both the highlights, and the entire 165 pages of emails discussing my artshow: http://www.frankejames.com/debate/?p=8533

Don’t miss the statement from PEN Canada and the Writers’ Union of Canada, too.

http://www.frankejames.com/debate/?p=8999

“The government of Canada has no right to determine what is an acceptable opinion for an individual citizen, on climate change or any matter of public interest,” said Charlie Foran, President of PEN Canada, “To do so is clearly not in the spirit of the Charter and the long history of freedom of expression in Canada.”

Thanks for your comment. The Govt did BAN my art. Here’s how… The Cultural officer from the Canadian Embassy warned the show producer (Nektarina Non Profit) not to exhibit my art saying, “Don’t you know this artist speaks against the Canadian Government?” The example given was the letter I wrote to Harper in 2008 asking for a pollution tax. The NGO is on record in the Toronto Star and other papers, and their site, saying that they were bullied by the Canadian Govt.

Why is the Canadian Govt interfering in my private business deal??

Read this recent article from an Ottawa paper: http://www.frankejames.com/debate/?p=9210

BTW, the funding was for education for climate change and it is required under the UNFCCC agreement. It is not typical arts funding.

We tried to go ahead without the funding – because the $5000 was nominal – but the government continued, over a period of months, to interfere behind the scenes. Please visit my site to read the PEN Canada release, the ATIP documents, etc.

http://www.frankejames.com/debate/?page_id=8202

You’ll also see that I used crowdfunding for my protest billboard show which took place in November.

I’ve been working on this problem since May 19th. Thank goodness for ATIP legislation which allowed me to get internal government emails and prove that government was not telling the truth. I got the ATIP docs 2 days before my crowdfunded show opened in Ottawa in November – just in the nick of time.

Oil companies that he backs with ‘Ethical Oil’ are multinationals. Its not like the profits get spent here. He’s promoting us being good little workers for our foreign owners. These are the same companies making money in ‘unethical’ countries.

Franke James.. I did enjoy your story, and I was shamed by it. This is nothing other than authoritarian rule. I feel that on one hand if they want to promote oil companies… I don’t have to like that, but that doesn’t mean they need to prevent you from showing your art. Its censorship of a most appalling kind.

The reaction to David Suzuki’s Tipping Point was equally childish and one sided. Seems folks got angry about some sort of smeer job.. yet the documentary is about Alberta citizens who are suffering.

"Fossil-fuel companies have spent millions funding anti-global-warming think tanks, purposely creating a climate of doubt around the science. DeSmogBlog is the antidote to that obfuscation." ~ BRYAN WALSH, TIME MAGAZINE